Ecological Problems

Ecology is a very important science dealing with the study of the environment and the future of our planet. The term "ecology" comes from the Greek word "oikos" meaning "house".

Recent research data confirm that the degradation of the environment is one of the most acute problems of the day.

For centuries the biosphere has maintained proportion of vital elements. Man like any other living organism depends on what the biosphere provides: water, oxygen, food, etc. Today the biosphere is strongly affected by all sorts of human activity. Man has created new compounds, substances, chemical elements which have been unknown to the biosphere and do not belong to the natural cycle of matter. Man's interaction with nature causes ecological disturbance and is considered to be one of the most important and complex problems facing mankind.

The air we breathe, the earth we live on, rivers and seas we use water from are becoming contaminated with dangerous materials and by-products of man's activities. As a result of it more and more people suffer from different diseases, more and more babies are born with deformities.

Water, the most essential source for the survival of human beings, animals, plants and the planet as a whole, is contaminated today. The contamination of our water ways comes from many sources: chemical waste from factories, thermal waste from power stations, domestic waste from cities, etc.

About five million tons of oil are discharged into seas and oceans annually and one ton of oil can easily spread over twelve square kilometers of the water surface changing flora and fauna.

Air is also polluted by harmful substances. Transport is a major source of environmental pollution. Every car consumes many tons of air. Its used up gases contain poisonous carbon dioxide which makes difficult the emission of the Earth's heat into space. Air pollutants are harmful not only to health but to buildings as well. Many of them have been destroyed by smoke and gas from cars. Great monuments of history and culture are perishing. Take the Parthenon in Greece for example.

The increasing noise level is a special problem nowadays. We need silence as much as we need fresh air and pure water. Noise doesn't only do physical harm to man but weakens his energy and his nerves. High level of factory noise reduces work efficiency.

The problem of man and his interaction with the environment has become a subject of joint research efforts of biologists, chemists, biochemists and others. Governments in many countries take a lot of antipollution measures to make the planet a healthy place to live on.

Ex. 4. a) Form derivatives from the following words using suffixes: -(a)tion, -(s)sion,

-ant, -er(-or).

Model: to pollute - pollution, pollutant.

to provide, to interact, to produce, to contaminate, to consume, to reduce, to consider, to transport, to emit, to negotiate, to produce.

b) Derive adjectives using suffixes : -ous, -ful, -(ic)al.

danger, poison, harm, environment, nature, ecology, chemistry, history, essence, waste, culture, nerve.

c) Form degrees of comparison:

important, acute, vital, complex, dangerous, poisonous, essential, difficult, harmful, strong, great, pure, weak, fresh.

Ex. 5. Give Russian equivalents for the following words and word-combinations:

to deal with; the study of the environment; research data; degradation of the environment; to maintain; human activity; compounds and substances; natural cycle of matter; ecological disturbance; problems facing mankind; to contaminate; dangerous materials; by-products of man's activities; to suffer from; the most essential source for the survival; domestic waste; harmful substances; used up gases; the increasing noise level; to do physical harm; to reduce work efficiency; to take measures.

Ex. 6. Give English equivalents for the following words and word-combinations:

окружающая среда, иметь дело с чем-нибудь, ухудшение, человеческая деятельность, взаимодействие человека с природой, соединения (сложные вещества), простые вещества, вызывать экологические нарушения, загрязнять, побочный продукт, страдать, бытовые отходы, загрязнение, выхлопные газы, вредный, опасный, ядовитый, причинять вред здоровью, снижать работоспособность.

Ex. 7. Put questions to the underlined words:

1. Ecology deals with the study of the environment and the future of our planet.

2. Recent research data confirm that the degradation of the environment is one of the most acute problems of the day.

3. Man like any other living organism depends on water, oxygen and food.

4. Today the biosphere is strongly affected by all sorts of human activity.

5. Man's interaction with nature causes ecological disturbance.

6. The Earth is becoming contaminated with dangerous material that is why more and more people suffer from different diseases.

7. Water is the most essential source for the survival of human beings, animals, plants and the planet as a whole.

8. Oil, discharged into seas and oceans and spread over their surface, changes flora and fauna.

9. Every car consumes many tons of air.

10. Noise doesn't only do physical harm to man but weakens his energy and his nerves.

11. High level of factory noise reduces work efficiency.

12. Governments in many countries take a lot of antipollution measures to make the planet a healthy place to live on.

Ex. 8. Insert prepositions where necessary.

1. Ecology deals ... the study ... the environment and the future ... our planet.

2. The term "ecology" comes ... the Greek word "oikos" meaning "house".

3. Man like any other living organism depends ... water, oxygen and food.

4. Today the biosphere is strongly affected ... all sorts ... human activity.

5. Man's interaction ... nature causes ecological disturbance.

6. Nature is becoming contaminated ... dangerous materials and by-products ... man's activities.

7. Many people suffer ... dangerous diseases such as hepatitis, ulcer, cancer, AIDS, and SARS (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome).

8. Water is the most essential source ... the survival ... human beings, animals, plants and the planet as a whole.

9. The contamination of our water ways comes ... many sources.

10. Many tons ... oil are discharged ... seas and oceans, spread ... many square kilometers ... the water surface and change flora and fauna.

11. Great monuments ... history and culture have been destroyed ... smoke and gas ... cars.

12. The problem ... man and his interaction ... the environment has become a subject... joint research efforts ... many scientists.

Ex. 9. Translate the following sentences from Russian into English.

1. Экология - это наука, которая занимается изучением окружающей среды и будущего нашей планеты.

2. Последние научные данные подтверждают, что разрушение окружающей среды - одна из самых острых проблем нашего времени.

3. Сегодня на биосферу очень влияют все виды человеческой деятельности.

4. Взаимодействие человека с природой вызывает экологическое нарушение и считается одной из самых важных и сложных проблем, стоящих перед человечеством.

5. Воздух, земля и вода загрязняются опасными материалами и побочными продуктами человеческой деятельности.

6. Вода загрязняется химическими отходами промышленных предприятий, термальными отходами электростанций и бытовыми отходами.

7. Нефть, которая выливается в моря и океаны, покрывая их поверхность, меняет флору и фауну.

8. Транспорт - главный источник загрязнения окружающей среды.

9. Каждый автомобиль потребляет много тонн воздуха, и его выхлопные газы содержат ядовитые вещества.

10. Возрастающий уровень шума — это особая проблема нашего времени.

11. Нам нужна тишина так же, как свежий воздух и чистая вода.

12. Высокий уровень промышленного шума понижает работоспособность.

13. Правительства многих стран предпринимают меры по борьбе с загрязнением окружающей среды, чтобы сделать нашу планету экологически безопасным местом для жизни.

Ex. 10. Answer the following questions:

1. What does ecology deal with?

2. Where does the term ecology come from?

3. What do recent research data confirm?

4. What does man depend on?

5. What is the biosphere affected by?

6. What does man's interaction with nature cause?

7. Why do many people suffer from different diseases?

8. Does the contamination of water come from domestic wastes or chemical wastes from factories?

9. How does oil discharged into seas and oceans affect flora and fauna?

10. What is air polluted by?

11. What makes difficult the emission of the Earth's heat into space?

12. Why is the increasing noise level a special problem nowadays?

13. How does noise influence man?

14. What do governments in many countries do to make the planet a healthy place to live on?

15. How can the problem of man and his interaction with the environment be solved?

Ex. 11. Read and translate the text.